Selectively operable fountain



H. J. MERKLEY SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FOUNTAIN Feb. 11, 1958 Filed March 7, 1955 H/ZBERTJ. MERKLEY IN V EN TOR.

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United States Patent SELECTIV ELY OPERABLE FOUNTAIN Hilbert J. Merkley, Huntingburg, Ind., assignor of onetenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month Club, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application March 7, 1955, Serial No. 492,503

4 Claims. (Cl. 222205) Generally speaking, the present invention relates to the font or fountain art and, more particularly, it relates to a selectively operable fountain which operates to moisten the digital extremity of the operator, primarily, but not necessarily exclusively, for religious use. The font or fountain is so designed as to limit the amount of liquid (holy water) dispensed during each dispensing operation to the proper small volume thereby reducing the number of times the fountain must be refilled. Furthermore, the fountain is so constructed as to greatly inhibit the evaporation of holy water therein contained thereby further reducing the number of times the fountain must be refilled.

While applicant is aware of the fact that a very considerable number of selectively operable fountains have been developed in the past, most of these fountains are intended for drinking or lavatory purposes and are usually connected to acontinuously-flowable source of water under pressure.

It is also true that, for religious usage, where a very limited, or small, quantity of sanctified liquid (holy water) is to be utilized for purely applicatory purposes, there have been vessels designed for this purpose, but these are usually vessels of an open nature, namely with a large opening at the top through which the operator (user) inserts his hand into the liquid. Therefore these cannot be called fonts (or fountains) in the true sense of the word and are not adaptable to selectively apply a small designated or desired quantity of sanctified liquid (holy water) to the precisely desired point on the digital extremity of the person utilizing the device.

Furthermore, such above-described prior art arrangements and constructions as have heretofore been utilized require frequent refilling with holy water since they expose large surface areas of water to the atmosphere and thus allow the rapid evaporation of the sanctified liquid (holy water).

The present invention is so constructed that the sanctified liquid (holy water) in the container exposes only a very small portion of its surface to the atmosphere, thereby greatly restricting its evaporation.

Furthermore, such aforementioned holy water containers in prior art constructions are usually, with their large exposed surfaces of water, of an unsanitary nature. In the present invention, this is so arranged that the contact area is small, therefore the remainder of the surface area of the contents of the container cannot become contaminated. V I

Generally speaking, the selectively operable fou tain (usually, holy water font) of the present invention includes a container having an interior cooperable for carrying a liquid (usually, holy water) therein, and a selectively manually operable pump means carried by the container and having an inlet end in communication with the interior of the container, and having an outlet end in a manually accessible position exterior of said container whereby selective manual actuation of-said pump means will pump a selected quantity of liquid from the interior of said container to said outlet end of said pump means ice exterior of said container for use by the operator of said pump means.

One preferred form of the present invention may also include a return duct means communicating the interior of the container and the outlet end of the pump means whereby excess liquid will be returned to the interior of the container upon deactuation of the pump means.

In one preferred form of the present invention said pump means may comprise a chamber provided with inlet port means communicating said chamber with the liquid (usually, holy water) in the interior of the container, and additionally including selectively manually operable piston ,means slideably mounted for reciprocation with respect to the interior of said chamber and provided with an actuation end positioned exterior of said chamber andrespect to the chamber and opposing manual actuation of said piston means.

From the above general description of basic and preferred generic forms of the present invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that virtually all of the disadvantages of prior art holy water containers, fonts and/or fountains are virtually entirely eliminated and overcome in and through the use of the present invention.-

For example, it is obvious that by applying only one finger to the actuation end of the piston and depressing said piston, a desired amount of sanctified liquid (holy water) will be delivered to the desired digital extremity of the operator thereby eliminating the waste of excess liquid.

It is also obvious that with the deactuation of the piston, excess liquid is returned to the interior of the container and the piston reverts to its normal or closed position thereby eliminating excess and unneeded quantities of holy water being inadvertently obtained and wasted and further, by maintaining the container. in its normally closed position when not in use, eliminating the usual amount of waste by evaporation.

With the above points in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a digitally controllably operable fountain (usually a holy water font) of cheap, simple, novel, easy-to-operate and easy-to-maintain construction capable of dispensing a desired amount of water (usually holy water) against a desired digital extremity for applicatory purposes (usually sanctimonious and/or religious purposes).

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device of the character set forth in the preceding object which may, in certain forms, be provided with a fastening means cooperable for mounting attachment with respect to a supporting surface, and, if desired, said fastening means may be associated with an upstanding, cross-shaped member.

Other and allied objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art after a careful perusal, examination, and study of the accompanying illustrations, the present speci-v fication and the appended claims.

To facilitate understanding, reference willbe made to the hereinbelow described drawings, in which;

Fig. l is a front view, partially in elevationand partially Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, of the lower central 7 portion of the device shown in Fig. 1, illustrating in considerable detail the pump means and the return duct means in operative association with the interior of the container-this view shows the pump means in normal position prior to actuation thereof;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the actuation end of the pump means of Fig. 3 shown by itself with all other parts removed for clarity;

Fig. is a view similar in aspect to Fig. 3 but shows the pump means in actuated position and shows a small quantity of holy water in the act of being dispensed.

Fig. 6 is a reduced-size perspective view of the embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figs. 15.

Generally speaking, the present invention includes the container 1 having an interior chamber 2 cooperable for carrying a liquid (holy Water) 3 therein, which, in the specific form illustrated in Figs. 1-6 includes: a selectively manually operable pump means 4 carried by the container and having an inlet end 5 thereof in communication with the interior 2 of the container 1 and having an outlet end 6 thereof in manually accessible position exterior of said pump means where selective manual actuation of said pump means 4 (as illustrated in Fig. 5) will pump a selected quantity of liquid from the interior 2 of said container 1 to said outlet end'6 of said pump means.

Said pump means, in the form specifically illustrated, additionally includes aselectively manually operable piston means 7 slideably mounted for reciprocation with respect to the interior of a chamber 8 connected to the inlet port means .5, said piston means 7 .being provided with an actuation end9 positioned exterior of said chamber 8 and said container '1' for convenient digital access,

the chamber 8, and opposing manual (downward) actua-- tion of said piston means7 (as illustrated in Figs. 1, 3 and 5).

Said pump means 4 may also include, as in the specific form illustrated, return duct means 32 etfectively communicating the interior 2 of the container 1 and the outlet end of the duct 10 in the piston means 7 at the actuation end 9 thereof whereby excess holy Water Will be returned to the interior of the container upon digital release of the actuating end of the piston means as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Said container 1 may be provided with an upstanding member 13 which, in the specific form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, is in the form of a cross. Said upstanding crossshaped member may be provided with fastening means 1d cooperable for mounting attachment with respect to a vertical supporting surface.

Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art after a careful study hereof. All such, properly within the'basic scope and/ or teachings of the present invention are to be included and comprehended herein as fully as if specifically described, illustrated and claimed herein.

For example, the pump means mentioned herein is for illustrative purposes only and the applicant is aware that any other means capable of pumping, lifting or moving liquid can be employed.

For further example, the fastening means may be modifiedin any'fashion cooperable for mounting with respect to a vertical. supporting surface, or, in certain instances, the fastening means may be eliminated entirely when the 4 device is'intended to be placed on (or rest upon) a horizontal supporting surface.

The exact compositions, configurations, relative posi tionings and cooperative relationships of the various component parts of the present invention are not critical, and may be modified substantially within the basic teachings, spirit and scope of the present invention.

The embodiment of the present invention specifically described, illustrated and claimed herein is exemplary only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is intended to be interpreted in the light of the prior art and the appended claims only, with due consideration for the doctrine of equivalents.

I claim:

I. A selectively operable fountain comprising: a container having an interior cooperable for carrying a liquid therein; selectively manually operable pump means carried by the container and having an inlet end thereof in communication with the interior of the container and having an actuating and outlet end therof provided with a fingeraccessible liquid-carrying recess at the top thereof in a manually accessible position exterior of said container whereby selective manual actuation of said pump means will pump a selected quantity of liquid from the interior of said container into said finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess in said outlet end of said pump means exterior of said container means for use by the operator of said pump means, said pump means comprising a chamber provided with inlet port means communicating said chamber with the liquid in the interior of the container and additionally including selectively manually operable piston means slideably mounted for reciprocation with respect to the interior of said chamber and provided with an actuation end positioned exterior of said chamber and exterior of said container and having a finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess therein for convenient digital access, said piston means being provided with duct means communicating the interior of said chamber with said finger-accessible liquidcarrying recess in said actuation end of said piston means whereby actuation of said piston means into said chamber will effectively pump liquid through said duct means into said finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess against a digital extremity of the operator, forcibly applied to the actuation end of said piston means, said chamber being also provided with biasing spring means abutting said piston means and normally maintaining it in a predetermined relationship with respect to the chamber and opposing manual actuation of said piston means; return duct means communicating the interior of the container and the fingeraccessible liquid-carrying recess in the actuation end of the piston means whereby excess liquid will be returned to-the interior of the container upon digital release of the actuating end of the piston means.

2. A selectively operable fountain comprising: a container having an interior cooperable for carrying a liquid therein, said container being provided with an upstanding cross-shaped member; selectively manually operable pump means carried by the container and having an inlet end thereof incommunication with the interior of the container and having an actuating and outlet end thereof provided with a finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess at the top thereof in a manually accessible position exterior of said container whereby selective manual actuation of said pump means will pump a selected quantity of liquid from the interior of said container into said finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess in said outlet end of said pump means exterior of said container means for use by the operator of said pump means; said pump means comprising a chamber provided with inlet port means communicating said chamber with the liquid in the interior of the container and additionally including selectively manually operable piston means slideably mounted for reciprocation with respect to the interior of said chamber and provided with an actuation end positioned exterior'of said chamber and exterior of said container and having a finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess therein for convenient digital access, said piston means being provided with duct means communicating the interior of said chamber with said finger-accessible liquidcarrying recess in said actuation end of said piston means whereby actuation of said piston means into said chamber will effectively pump liquid through said duct means into said finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess against a digital extremity of the operator, 'forcibly applied to the actuation end of said piston means, said chamber being also provided with biasing spring means abutting said piston means and normally maintaining it in a predetermined relationship with respect to the chamber and opposing manual actuation of said piston means; return duct means communicating the interior of the container and the fingeraccessible liquid-carrying recess in the actuation end of the piston means whereby excess liquid will be returned to the interior of the container upon digital release of the actuating end of the piston means.

3. A selectively operable fountain comprising: a container having an interior cooperable for carrying a liquid therein, said container being provided with an upstanding member having fastening means cooperable for mounting attachment with respect to a supporting surface; selectively manually operable pump means carried by the container and having an inlet end thereof in communication with the interior of the container and having an actuating and outlet end thereof provided with a finger-accessible liquidcarrying recess at the top thereof in a manually accessible position exterior of said container whereby selective manual actuation of said pump means will pump a selected quantity of liquid from the interior of said container into said finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess in said outlet end of said pump means exterior of said container means for use by the operator of said pump means; said pump means comprising a chamber provided with inlet port means communicating said chamber with the liquid in the interior of the container and additionally including selectively manually operable piston means slideably mounted for reciprocation with respect to the interior of said chamber and provided with an actuation end positioned exterior of said chamber and exterior of said container and having a finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess therein for convenient digital access, said piston means being provided with duct means communicating the interior of said chamber with said finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess in said actuation end of said piston means whereby actuation of said piston means into said chamber will effectively pump liquid through said duct means into said finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess against a digital extremity of the operator, forcibly applied to the actuation end of said piston means, said chamber being also provided with biasing spring means abutting said piston means and normally maintaining it in a predetermined relationship with respect to the chamber and opposing manual actuation of said piston means; return duct means communicating the interior of the container and the finger-accessible liquid-carrying recess in the actuation end of the piston means whereby excess liquid will be returned to the interior of the container upon digital release of the actuating end of the piston means.

4. A selectively operable holy water font comprising: a holy water container having an interior cooperable for carrying holy water therein, said container being provided with an upstanding member in the form of a cross having fastening means cooperable for mounting attachment with respect to a supporting surface; selectively manually operable pump means carried by the container and having an inlet end thereof in communication with the interior of the container and having an actuating and outlet end thereof provided with a finger-insertable water-carrying recess at the top thereof in a manually accessible position exterior of said container whereby selective manual actuation of said pump means will pump a selected quantity of holy Water from the interior of said container means into said finger-insertable water-carrying recess in said outlet end of said pump means exterior of said container means for applicatory use by the operators digital extremity actuating said pump means, said pump means comprising a chamber provided with inlet port means communicating said chamber with the holy water in the interior of the container and additionally including selectively manually operable piston means slideably mounted for reciprocation with respect to the interior of said chamber and provided with an actuation end positioned exterior of said chamber and exterior of said container and having a finger-insertable water-carrying recess therein for convenient digital access, said piston means being provided with duct means communicating the interior of said chamber With said finger-insertable water-carrying recess in said actuation end of said piston means whereby actuation of said piston means into said chamber will effectively pump holy water through said duct means into said finger-insertable watercarrying recess against a digital extremity of the operator, forcibly applied to the actuation end of said piston means, said chamber being also provided with biasing spring means abutting said piston means and normally maintaining it in a predetermined relationship with respect to the chamber and opposing manual actuation of said piston means; return duct means communicating the interior of the container and the finger-insertable water-carrying recess in the actuation end of the piston means whereby excess holy water will be returned to the interior of the container upon digital release of the actuating end of the piston means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 134,953 Ward Jan. 14, 1873 705,336 Furber July 22, 1902 1,144,175 De Lage June 22, 1915 1,875,902 Wickwire Sept. 6, 1932 2,000,493 Miller May 7, 1935 2,684,182 Gey July 20, 1954 

